At the end of the 19th century, Berlin had become an “electropolis” and by 1902 Siemens’ Berlin workforce had risen to over 11,000. As the business expanded, so also did the need for skilled workers, and the company’s directors finally abandoned their prejudice against in-house apprenticeship training. A further reason was the growing inadequacy of standard training for the practical requirements of modern industry.

Siemens & Halske began training their own skilled workers in the early 1890s. In 1891, experimental training workshops were set up in the Berlin factories where up to ten apprentices were trained independently of the actual production process. A few years later, the company began providing theoretical as well as practical training: on November 1, 1906, Siemens & Halske’s factory school opened with 77 students. This company school, which is still in existence today, is one of the oldest vocational schools in Germany. Less than two years later the practical training of precision mechanics was also reorganized and a central apprentice workshop was created.

Since the Prussian authorities accorded the school the same status as a state vocational school, all Siemens & Halske’s apprentices were obliged to attend it during their four-year training. By 1920 the number of students had thus increased to 400. The timetable included German, arithmetic, civic studies, math, drawing and technology.

In order to make the classes as practically relevant as possible, the teachers of the factory school were recruited until the 1920s from Siemens engineers, draftsmen and commercial clerks, who taught as a second job. It was only gradually that the teaching staff became more professional: this was achieved by granting some of the part-timers leave so that they could acquire an additional teaching qualification at the Berlin seminary for vocational school teachers. In around 1930, eight full-time teachers were employed.

In summer 1932, the factory schools of Siemens & Halske AG and Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG were combined; the latter had been in existence since 1914. This raised the number of students to over 1,000. There were now eight hours of lessons a week – with an additional hour of sport. This was the standard pattern for a long time. 

 In fall 2010 fewer than 930 students completed training in electronic, mechanical, mechatronic and commercial occupations. In order to equip the younger generation adequately for the requirements of today’s complex working world, for years now an integrated overall approach has been in operation – theory classes and company practice are carefully coordinated. By working on actual process-integrated projects, students not only become qualified in all aspects of their subject, but also hone their personal and social skills.

Sabine Dittler